


That Was That

by writerjesus



Series: A Partner To Be Proud Of [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Bisexual Oikawa Tooru, Coming Out, Fluff, Gay Iwaizumi Hajime, Getting Together, M/M, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-05 09:13:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17915987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writerjesus/pseuds/writerjesus
Summary: In the end, it was the kind of realization where a light bulb went off in his head. Of course, he had thought. Of course it’d be him. It couldn’t be anyone else. It just makes sense.





	That Was That

**Author's Note:**

> This is the proper start of my drabble series! I'll try to make the drabbles as linear as possible. This whole collection is a look at Iwaizumi and Oikawa's relationship, where it starts, how it changes through their lives together, how they mature, etc. 
> 
> I originally wrote this as a personal homage since I was tired of the same old tropes... But it kind of ran away from me and became it's own thing. 
> 
> Please also mind the tag that Oikawa is trans. I have written Oikawa as FTM/trans male. I am a trans male author but I do still mean to be respectful. If you find anything to be disrespectful or crude, please let me know. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

When Iwaizumi and Oikawa announced to their friends that they were, in fact, dating, the reaction was lackluster. After all, everyone had assumed that they would get together during high school. If anything, they were surprised it took so long. Of course, that wasn’t to say that they didn’t get their share of teasing. 

 

“You used to always look at Iwaizumi with starry eyes.” Hanamaki pointed out, nudging Oikawa’s arm.

 

“And not to mention Iwaizumi’s mother hen act.” Matsukawa added before sipping his beer. “And so tsundere about it. Like calling Oikawa names would cover up the fact that he cared oh so much.” 

 

Hanamaki nearly had beer come out his nose as he laughed at the causal use of the word “tsundere” but didn’t argue against it. “Seriously though, you two were fucking oblivious.” 

 

“Not that we  _ want _ all the details, but who made it official? We had a bet.” Hanamaki grinned. “I had money on Iwaizumi.” Hanamaki leaned into the table, clearly eager for the answer too.

 

Perfectly in sync, Oikawa and Iwaizumi spoke. “I did.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

In actuality, in high school, the two of them were not in love with one another. There was no pining at that point, no ‘love at first sight’ in their childhood, no secret kisses during their childhood sleepovers. Their moms didn’t even joke about it when they were growing up, back when Oikawa’s hair was long and he went by a name long buried. They were probably just relieved that their kids got along. 

 

But that didn’t stop speculation from their friends and peers. Their getting together was a commonly gossiped topic amongst their friends. To everyone else, it was obvious that they’d wind up together… And they did. It just wasn’t what everyone expected it to be like. 

 

The common consensus was that Oikawa would have a partner, Iwaizumi would get jealous and get his own partner to forget about Oikawa. Cue break ups, drama, angst, possibly some gay panic, and probably a confession amidst heated arguments that were sealed with a kiss. 

 

The reality was more realistic and much more tame.

 

Firstly, coming out was hardly news.

 

Oikawa, technically, had two coming outs. The first was when he was ten, where he cut his hair in the bathroom by himself. His mom had been shocked by her child’s actions and sat him down for a long talk. After a lot of tears and hugs, Oikawa became known as Tooru. His family accepted him fully and made sure he was properly taken care of and encouraged to be himself. 

 

Iwaizumi remembered when Oikawa came to his house, with his new hair and his head held high. “Call me Tooru from now on!” He had all but demanded, though his hands shook with nerves. Iwaizumi nodded. “Alright. Do you want to go catch beetles now?” 

 

When he was older, Iwaizumi learned the word “transgender” from his mom and understood more about Oikawa. Not that it mattered to him. His best friend would always be his best friend. If anything, this just meant they could play volleyball together in middle school. 

 

The second coming out was equally nonchalant. In high school, shortly after his break up with his girlfriend, Oikawa was moping in Iwaizumi’s room. “She said I was too obsessed with volleyball!” He pouted. 

 

Iwaizumi just shrugged. “Can you blame her? We’re always at practice and you keep pushing yourself to practice in your free time. You barely had time to spend with her.”

 

Oikawa huffed and flailed his arms, rolling around on Iwaizumi’s bed. “Iwa-chan! You’re supposed to take my side and tell me that she was too harsh!” He sat up and hugged a pillow to his chest. 

 

Iwaizumi just sighed. “Well. You’ll find someone better. A girl more suited for you.” 

 

There was a slight pause and Oikawa bit his lip nervously. “Or boy.” His voice was soft, hesitant. 

 

Iwaizumi, however, didn’t react. “Or boy.” He agreed.

 

And that was that. 

 

Iwaizumi came out as gay during his first year at university.  The whole coming out process had been relaxed. His family knew about Oikawa’s gender and loved him as if he were part of it regardless. During winter break, he told his family over dinner. There were hugs and reassurances, and while Iwaizumi hadn’t been afraid, the comfort was appreciated. 

 

The next morning, he went over to Oikawa’s house and told him as they played video games. 

 

“By the way,” Iwaizumi had started, as his car zipped past Oikawa’s. “I told my family last night. I’m gay.” 

 

Oikawa nudged Iwaizumi’s arm just as he was about to make a sharp turn so he fell off the course. “Oh? They were cool with it, right?” 

 

Iwaizumi yelled as Oikawa sabotaged him, kicking his leg out to retaliate. “Yeah they were fine with it.” 

 

Oikawa yelped, leaning away from Iwaizumi so they could play fairly. “Good. Otherwise you’d just have to come live here and my mom likes you more anyway.” 

 

And that was that. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Truth be told, their romance wasn’t all the drama and flare people might’ve expected. With Oikawa’s grandiose personality and Iwaizumi’s gruffness, they anticipated a lot of miscommunication, pining, sabotage, or the like. In actuality, it was a little stressful but not to such dramatic proportions. 

 

Iwaizumi realized that his feelings towards Oikawa weren’t platonic out of the blue, during a completely nonchalant Tuesday night. It was the start of his second year in university and he thought that he’d surprise his mom with a particularly nice birthday present. He’d seen a few ads online about vacation spots, concerts in the area, the usual stuff. Whenever he saw them, he had the passing thought of “Oikawa would like that.” And his imagination ran with it for a moment. He’d imagine Oikawa running along a sandy beach or whining/begging to have him apply sunscreen as they waited for the outdoor concert to start. In every scenario, Oikawa would be smiling at him… The more often his daydreams came up, the more he became aware of the warmth in his chest or the smile on his own face. 

 

In the end, it was the kind of realization where a light bulb went off in his head.  _ Of course _ , he had thought.  _ Of course it’d be him. It couldn’t be anyone else. It just makes sense. _

 

(Later, when he told Oikawa about how he realized his feelings, he shrugged. “I mean. Isn’t love just wanting the other person to be as happy as possible? And to be a part of that happiness? You’re a handful but… you’re someone that I’ve always wanted in my life. Even when we were kids, I knew that we’d always be together.”)

 

Upon his new found feelings, Iwaizumi made a conscious effort to act as normal as possible. To him, the ultimate goal was for Oikawa to be happy. If telling him his feelings would stress him out, he’d much rather swallow them down. They still had their daily texts and regular phone calls, and they were still best friends. That is what was ultimately important to Iwaizumi. If he heard about Oikawa’s most recent heartbreak or hook up gone wrong, he’d swallow his anger, his protectiveness, to keep the peace between them. 

 

Oikawa, on the other hand, had a much more… chaotic reaction. He was hooking up with someone at a party in his first year. A friend of his roommate had invited him during their first week so Oikawa went, figuring it was good to establish a new group of friends. He had been drinking but not enough to be considered drunk. He was clear headed enough to consent so there wasn’t a logical reason why he started thinking about Iwaizumi during his fling. He’d nearly moaned Iwaizumi’s name more than once, to the point where he had his partner cover his mouth. After everything was said and done, he went back home and showered as his head spun. He spent the next few days interacting with Iwaizumi as little as possible as he tried to straighten his feelings out. (The silence didn’t go unnoticed by Iwaizumi but he didn’t press it. If Oikawa wanted to talk about it, he would when he was ready.) 

 

In the end, it made sense. Iwaizumi was his best friend. He knew that Oikawa hated olives on his pizza, which alien documentaries were his favorites, and always got him the best birthday presents. But he also knew the important things: when Oikawa faked his smiles, what to do when he was stressed, how to make him feel safe, what to say when he needed to hear it. Honestly, it was a shock that he hadn’t figured it out sooner. Iwaizumi had been by his side since birth. Why would the rest of his life be any different? 

 

There was a downfall to his realization. Now that he was aware of his feelings, he started getting jealous. He tried not to let it show. He asked about Iwaizumi’s potential crushes, his classmates, showed interest and asked questions. Whenever Iwaizumi mentioned certain classmates of his often enough, Oikawa would ask if they were dating. He’d be equally happy and disgusted with himself when Iwaizumi said no. 

 

Until there was a boyfriend. Oikawa tried his best to be supportive…He tried not to be a brat about it. As much as he wanted to swallow his self-loathing and self-pity with alcohol, or find solace in the arms of whoever the hook up for the month was, he kept a level head. Or at least, tried to. He tried to have a steady partner. A cute girl who shared a couple of classes with him. She was sweet and her genuine kindness and concern for his well being soothed his bruised pride. In the end, though, there wasn’t much substance. The relationship didn’t last much longer than a couple months. It was a mutual thing, thankfully. After that, he tried going out with other people. None of them lasted longer than a few dates and all of them ended terribly. 

 

Iwaizumi’s relationship ended after a few months. When Oikawa asked why over the phone, Iwaizumi sighed. “I don’t know. He was nice but… we liked each other enough but it didn’t feel right.” Oikawa half-joked that Iwaizumi was a secret romantic. 

 

“Besides,” Oikawa leaned back in his desk chair, “what does ‘right’ even feel like? Aren’t relationships about compromise and stuff? No one’s perfect.” 

 

Iwaizumi scoffed. “Of course I know that. I’m just saying. I don’t want to waste time, you know? I’m not saying I believe in the whole soulmate, The One, bullshit. But I do think…” He paused, collecting his thoughts. “I believe in that spark. That moment of connection. Not love at first sight, but that… ‘Oh’ kind of feeling. Like a sigh of relief that someone… gets you.” 

 

Oikawa could practically hear the blush creep on Iwaizumi’s face. “But I don’t know. I didn’t like him that much so I broke it off. That’s all.” 

Instead of teasing him, Oikawa sighed softly. “I can understand that.” 

 

Another pause. Iwaizumi sighed again. “Yeah. I knew you would.” 

 

* * *

 

Of course, things would come to a head eventually.

 

After a few months of realizing his feelings, Iwaizumi figured it would be best to clear the air face to face. That way, he could move on instead of being stuck in limbo. 

 

Oikawa, on the other hand, had been hoping his feelings would just pass with time. A year and a half was plenty of time to make him realize that this was not a passing thought. He wasn’t the passive type. It was best to be direct… even if it was terrifying.

 

They were back home for winter break. Christmas festivities were underway and the duo had gone for a walk after dinner. They were bundled up, scarves and hats obscuring the majority of their faces. The silence was companionable which was nice but also unbearable to them both. 

 

“So-”

 

“Iwa-chan-” 

 

They both started at the same time. Iwaizumi motioned for Oikawa to go first. 

 

Oikawa played with the end of his scarf, clearly nervous. “I was just gonna say that I’m surprised Iwa-chan didn’t bring home anyone!” He smiled brightly, shoving his hands in his pockets. “That kouhai and you have gotten quite close this past semester.” He pointed out. 

 

Iwaizumi scoffed a little. “He’s just someone I tutor. It’s not anything. I’d tell you if I was dating anyone.” 

 

Oikawa, however, wouldn’t let it go. “But Iwa-chan! You’ve spent quite a lot of time together. You can’t blame me for being suspicious! You haven’t dated anyone since our first year.” 

 

Iwaizumi scowled. “I don’t get why that’s a big deal. Besides you’re in a similar boat, right? I mean. Most of your relationships haven’t lasted that long.” He didn’t mean it to sound mean. It was the truth. The majority of Oikawa’s relationships were really just flings or a couple of lunch dates. The longest lasted just a few months and even that had happened a while ago. 

 

Oikawa bit his lower lip, his cheeks reddening not just from the cold. “It’s not my fault.” He stopped walking, his gaze down on the concrete. His mood soured. “Most of the guys I dated were gay and they… they didn’t see me as a guy. Not after they… found out. Gay guys just don’t see me as a guy.”

 

Iwaizumi stopped and turned to face Oikawa. “Hey, hey. That’s not true. I know some guys treated you like shit but not everyone will.” He rested his hand on Oikawa’s shoulder. “You’re smart and dedicated, fun and charismatic. And as much as I don’t want to stroke your ego, you’re also not hard to look at... So don’t worry about it. I mean. I’m gay and I know you’re a guy.” 

 

Something in Oikawa snapped. He slapped Iwaizumi’s arm away. “No you don’t!” He glared at him, his eyes embarrassingly starting to burn with tears. “You don’t because if you did, you’d see  _ me _ and you’d-” He stopped, choking on his own words. He couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence. A coward after all. “Stupid Iwa-chan. So fucking stupid.” 

 

Iwaizumi was quiet for a moment, taking in Oikawa’s outburst. His stomach was fluttering from nerves. “Tooru.” He finally spoke, his voice gentle. “I would what, Tooru? If I saw you as a guy, I’d…” He trailed off, hoping Oikawa would finish the thought. When he didn’t, Iwaizumi continued. “I’d date you?” He ventured, hope bubbling in his chest. 

 

Oikawa was too terrified to look up, his heartbeat deafening in his own ears. But Iwaizumi didn’t sound mad or upset… That was a good sign, right?  Still, the terror kept him frozen in place. 

 

Thankfully Iwaizumi was the more proactive one. He cupped the back of Oikawa’s head and pressed their foreheads together. “I think this is the quietest you’ve ever been.” He teased but his eyes were soft, fond, adoring. “Well. All I’m saying is that I’d be a really fucking happy guy if I got to date you.” 

 

Oikawa was forced to meet Iwaizumi’s eyes and he saw the sincerity in them. Tears slid down his cheeks but he smiled nonetheless. He felt like his chest just opened up, vulnerable but with that rush of adrenaline that could only be described as euphoric. “I think Iwa-chan and I should be happy together then.” 

 

(So both of them said they confessed first. They were both kind of right. And wrong. They stopped caring who confessed first because all that mattered was that they were together now. Hanamaki and Matsukawa keep their money.)

 

And that was that.

 

* * *

  
  


“I think, had we gotten together back then, we wouldn’t have lasted.” Iwaizumi said one night, as they lazed around in bed on their respective phones. He had looked at facebook and seen one of those “Remember this photo from X years ago?” posts. 

 

Oikawa looked up from his phone, tilting his head at Iwaizumi. “You think so?” He wasn’t disagreeing, but he wanted to hear his boyfriend’s reasoning. 

 

Iwaizumi set his phone down and laid on his side, facing Oikawa properly. “I mean. Yeah. We were both pretty immature back then. I think we were both pretty wrapped up in our own heads so…. I mean, for me, I don’t think I’d even know what I wanted out of a relationship at that point. Like. Someone who liked volleyball and we had similar interests, but I wouldn’t know much after that.” 

 

Oikawa hummed softly, thoughtful. “That’s true. I did date a little back then. That girl Yuki and I dated for a little while but we broke up because she said I was too obsessed with volleyball.” He smiled a little. “She wasn’t exactly wrong. I did think that volleyball was more important.” 

 

Iwaizumi nodded. “Exactly. Like, had we dated back then, we probably would’ve warped our love for volleyball with love for each other. And that might’ve made things kinda complicated. Especially after our loss against Karasuno in our third year.” 

 

The memory of that game, even with how much time had passed, still made Oikawa’s lips purse into a pout. Iwaizumi leaned forward to peck his lips which caused Oikawa to relax. 

 

“Not to mention we went to different universities.” Oikawa continued, taking Iwaizumi’s hand and idly playing with his fingers. 

 

“It was all a big adjustment to start with. I can’t imagine what it’d been like had I been in love with you at that point.” Iwaizumi smiled a little. “We would’ve fought a lot, probably.” 

 

Oikawa laughed a little. “We already did, Iwa-chan.” 

 

Iwaizumi laughed along, squeezing Oikawa’s hand briefly. “Only because you’re stubborn as fuck and can’t be told what to do.” The comment earned him a kick to his shin. 

 

“What I mean is,” Oikawa went on, “our fights would’ve been a lot worse, I think… I mean. I had pretty bad fights with my dates at the time….”

 

Iwaizumi grunted, his annoyance clear. “I know. I remember you telling me about them. I’m biased but they were dicks. Let’s be honest, half the things you fought about were things we never would’ve fought about in the first place.”  

 

A sigh escaped Oikawa’s lips. “That’s true but we’ve known each other since we were babies. I couldn’t have expected everyone to be as… relaxed about the trans and bi thing as you.”

 

Iwaizumi’s scowl deepened. Before he could respond, Oikawa poked his cheek. “Iwa-chan, if you don’t relax, your face will freeze like that.” He gasped. “And then you really will look like a grumpy old man! Iwa-chan, what a tragedy!” 

 

Iwaizumi lightly slapped Oikawa’s hand from his face. “Oi, I’m trying to have a serious conversation here.” Still, his scowl wasn’t as deep as before, which Oikawa took as a win. 

 

“And I’m telling you not to worry about it so much.” Oikawa’s smile softened, his eyes warm in that way that only Iwaizumi could bring out. “It’s all in the past now, you know? I learned what I needed to in those relationships so I could be the best version of myself as possible. And that lead me to you.” 

 

Iwaizumi’s face flushed but the scowl was gone. “Dumbass. Saying cute shit like that…” He kissed Oikawa softly before pulling away to rest their foreheads together. “But you’re right… We both had to go through all that in order to get here now… And I wouldn’t change any of it.”  

 

Oikawa’s smile was bright, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Iwaizumi swore he fell a little harder. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I do have a lot more written so please let me know if you'd like to see more! Or if there's anything in particular you'd like to see.


End file.
